Firefighters honor those who lost lives in 9/11 attacks

By Amanda Finnegan

Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 | 11:03 a.m.

Las Vegas firefighters at Fire Station No. 5 paid a special tribute this morning to those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon seven years ago.

Firefighters raised a flag that once flew over the World Trade Center at 6:54 a.m. — the time of the attack — and saluted in honor of the 343 firefighters who died in service that day.

The flag was donated by the city of New York on Sept. 11, 2004. Since that day, firefighters at Station No. 5 promised to fly the flag at half-staff every anniversary. The station has kept its promise.

As the firefighters raised the flag, fire department spokesman Tim Szymanski performed the “tolling of the bells,” a fire service tradition, in solidarity with fire stations across Clark County.

Las Vegas firefighters responded to the tragedy in the weeks after by traveling to New York City to assist with the funerals of fallen firefighters.

“It doesn’t matter where tragedy happens … The fact that it was 343 firefighters that lost their lives at one time, that’s really significant,” Szymanski said. “You think that possibly you could lose your life or one or two other firefighters, but I think it was a reality check for all of us that so many could lose their life at one time.”

After the presentation of colors, Nikki Snyder, a recent graduate of Euphoria Institute of Beauty Arts and Sciences, along with family friends Tony and Joy Reyes, presented Station No. 5 with two memorial pieces of art.

Snyder and her cosmetology school classmates participated in a competition of the most unique transformation of a mannequin. Immediately, the images of Sept. 11 came to Snyder’s mind.

“I wanted more than anything to touch the hearts of everyone around me at school and the nation,” Snyder said. “I thought to myself, ‘There is nothing that would mean more than to create a piece of art to represent the 343 firefighters that were lost in the tragedy of 9/11.”

While Snyder conceptualized, she recruited the Reyes’ to carry out the imagery. The result was a mannequin head, adorning a firefighters helmet, with painted cheeks of firefighters on 9/11.

“We wanted to see through the eyes of the heroes of 9/11 and tell an amazing story … It didn’t matter to these people that their lives were at stake or that there was pain. Saving or helping even one person meant that much to them,” Snyder said in her speech.

Snyder presented her winning piece, along with a painting by Tony Reyes, to remain on display at the station.

Metro Police will continue memorial services at the Clark County amphitheater, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway., at 6:30 p.m. The service will conclude with a candlelight vigil about 7:30 p.m.